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2015 term United States Supreme Court opinions of Sonia Sotomayor

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The 2015 term of the Supreme Court of the United States began October 5, 2015, and concluded October 2, 2016. This was the seventh term of Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor's tenure on the Court.
Sonia Sotomayor 2015 term statistics
7
Majority or Plurality
5
Concurrence
1
Other
8
Dissent
1
Concurrence/dissent Total = 22
Bench opinions = 18 Opinions relating to orders = 4 In-chambers opinions = 0
Unanimous opinions: 2 Most joined by: Ginsburg (13 in full, 1 in part) Least joined by: Scalia (1)[1]
Type Case Citation Issues Joined by Other opinions
401



Correll v. Florida 577 U.S. 948 (2015)

Eighth Amendment  • death penalty
Breyer
Sotomayor dissented from the Court's denial of certiorari and application for stay of execution.
402



Mullenix v. Luna 577 U.S. 20 (2015)

Fourth Amendment  • use of deadly force in effecting arrest  • qualified immunity
per curiam
Scalia
503



Holiday v. Stephens 577 U.S. 999 (2015)

death penalty  • appointment of counsel in clemency proceedings
Sotomayor filed a statement respecting the Court's denial of certiorari.
104



Hurst v. Florida 577 U.S. 92 (2016)

death penalty  • Sixth Amendment  • right to a jury trial  • judicial factfinding of aggravating circumstances after jury advisory recommendation Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Kagan
Breyer
Alito
405



Kansas v. Carr 577 U.S. 127 (2016)

Eighth Amendment  • death penalty  • jury instructions on standard of proof for mitigating factors
Scalia
206



Brooks v. Alabama 577 U.S. 1115 (2016)

death penalty Ginsburg
Breyer
Sotomayor concurred in the Court's denial of a stay of execution and a petition for certiorari.
107



Lockhart v. United States 577 U.S. 347 (2016)

federal child pornography laws  • scope of sentence enhancement for prior convictions Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Alito
Kagan
108



Americold Realty Trust v. ConAgra Foods, Inc. 577 U.S. 378 (2016)

diversity jurisdiction  • citizenship of investment trust Unanimous[2]
209



Hughes v. Talen Energy Marketing, LLC 578 U.S. 167 (2016)

Federal Power Act  • interstate wholesale electricity rates  • federal preemption
Ginsburg
Thomas
410



Ocasio v. United States 578 U.S. 306 (2016)

Hobbs Act  • conspiracy Roberts
Alito
Breyer
Thomas
111



Husky Int'l Electronics, Inc. v. Ritz 578 U.S. 355 (2016)

bankruptcy law  • Chapter 7  • discharge exception for actual fraud Roberts, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Kagan
Thomas
212



Zubik v. Burwell 578 U.S. 410 (2016)

Affordable Care Act  • contraceptive mandate  • Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 Ginsburg
per curiam
413



Kernan v. Hinojosa 578 U.S. 416 (2016)

habeas corpus  • state court unexplained denial of petition Ginsburg
per curiam
214



Betterman v. Montana 578 U.S. 450 (2016)

Sixth Amendment  • Speedy Trial Clause  • postconviction delay in sentencing
Ginsburg
Thomas
415



Luna Torres v. Lynch 578 U.S. 473 (2016)

immigration law  • removal for conviction of aggravated felony Thomas, Breyer
Kagan
116



Green v. Brennan 578 U.S. 547 (2016)

Title VII  • constructive discharge  • statute of limitations Roberts, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Kagan
Alito
Thomas
217



Adams v. Alabama 578 U.S. 998 (2016)

Eighth Amendment  • mandatory life imprisonment of minors  • retroactivity of new constitutional rules Ginsburg
Thomas
Alito
Sotomayor concurred in the Court's decision to grant certiorari, vacate the lower court's opinion, and remand.
118



Simmons v. Himmelreich 578 U.S. 621 (2016)

Federal Tort Claims Act  • exceptions for discretionary functions  • judgment bar against subsequent suit against employees Unanimous[2]
119



Dietz v. Bouldin 579 U.S. 40 (2016)

district court recall of jury in civil case after discharge Roberts, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Kagan
Thomas
420



Puerto Rico v. Franklin Cal. Tax-Free Trust 579 U.S. 131 (2016)

bankruptcy law  • preemption of municipal bankruptcy laws  • Puerto Rican government-debt crisis Ginsburg
Thomas
421



Utah v. Strieff 579 U.S. 243 (2016)

Fourth Amendment  • exclusionary rule  • attenuation doctrine Ginsburg (in part)
Thomas
Kagan
322



Birchfield v. North Dakota 579 U.S. 479 (2016)

Fourth Amendment  • search incident to arrest  • drunk driving  • implied consent to breathalyzer or blood alcohol content tests Ginsburg
Alito
Thomas

Notes

  1. ^ All but six of Sotomayor's opinions were issued after Justice Scalia's death. Of the justices who participated the entire term, Thomas and Alito joined the fewest of Sotomayor's opinions, with five each.
  2. ^ a b This opinion was handed down after the death of Justice Scalia, and so was unanimous as to the eight justices remaining on the Court.

References

  • "2015 Term Opinions of the Court". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  • "2015 Term Opinions Relating to Orders". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  • "2015 Term In-Chambers Opinions". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved June 23, 2016.